Crank case washer



R. E. TILLMAN CRANK CASE WASHER Filed July 7, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR, 2 0% 13 777/7677- ATTORNEYJ.

Nov. 21, 1933.

QII 7 E h 8 ha m. .r L. 0 a 7 w I n Filed July 7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR, 7 0.55 777/1776.

ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 21, 1933. R. E. TILLMAN CRANK CASE WASHER Filed July 7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR, 7908.5 Z. 777/775.

A TTORNEYS.

Fatented Nov. 21, 1933 CRANK CASE WASHER Ross E. Tillman, Kansas CityrMo. Application July 7, 1930. Serial No. 465,898

- 3 Claims. (01. 184-115) This invention relates to apparatus for use in connection with cleansing crank cases and has for its primary object the provision of appropriate apparatus which may be used to' feed by gravity a quantity of flushing 611 into the crank case of an internal combustion engine, means for drawing such oil from crank case and passing it through a filtration system forming a part of the apparatus and again feeding it to the crank case.

One of the primary objects of the invention is toprovide a crank case washer having screens and filters for acting upon dirty-flushing oil to the extent that it will be refined for use again.

A yet further object of the present invention is the provision of a crank case washer wherein apparatus is provided for the straining and filtering of flushing oil as it is passing upwardly through the various parts'of the apparatus.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a series of filtering units within the crank case washer, one of which is provided with straw which acts as a filtering medium.

Minor objects will appear during the course of the detailedspecification, referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein but the preferred form of the invention is shown, and wherein,

Figure l is a front elevation of a crank case washer made in accordance with this invention and showing the same in operative relation with an internal combustion engine.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal cross section taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical central section through the apparatus, and,

Fig. 4 is another vertical section through the machine taken close to the front wall thereof.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings illustrating a crank case washer embodying the preferred form of the instant invention, and the numeral 6 designates the case of the machine which may be made of suitable material, such as sheet metal or the like, within which is formed an oil receiving compartment 8 which is located at the top of the case 6 and which is adapted to receive the oil to be filtered from the crank case 10 of the ordinary internal combustion engine 12. It is well known in this art that crank cases of engines should be thoroughly flushed and washed before introducing a new supply of lubricating oil and immediately after draining the oil which has been therein for a long period of time.

7 The small quantities of flushing oil which have heretofore been used are not sufficient to properly perform the duty of washing the crank case and it 'is,through the use of this crank case washer that larger quantities of oil may be used for cleaning the crank case without rendering the operation any more expensive than before. In fact, through the use of proper filters the same flushing oil may be used over and over again, and besides rendering the operation more efiicient the same becomes even less expensive than the old method. The oil receiving compartment 8 has the flushing oil pumped thereto through the hose or similar connection 14 and through the assistance of an ordinary pump 16 which forces the oil upwardly through conduit 18 from whence it is emptied into trough 20 which flows the oil 70 into the compartment 8. A transparent section 22 is provided in conduit 18 which is positioned adjacent a window 24 formedin the wall of case 6.

As the dirty oil is pumped to compartment 8 it passes through this transparent section 22 and l5 may be observed by the operator through the window 24.

In describing the apparatus from this point the passage of the oil through the various parts thereof will be followed. Within compartment 8 is a screen 26 which is disposed at an angle as shown in Fig. 4 and which divides the compart ment into two portions in a manner which causes the oil to pass upwardly therethrough as it'is strained. From a point in compartment 8 the oil passes through connection 28 to an auxiliary settling chamber 30 which is hung immediately below compartment 8; the oil entering the lower part of this chamber and passing upwardly through the horizontally disposed screen 32 where it may enter tube 34 passing from chamber 30 to the lower part of a primary filter 36. This filter 36 may be made up as shown in Fig. 3 to present a housing for the filtering material 38 which in this instance is wheat straw packed into the housing between screens 40 and 42 positioned inwardly from the ends of the filter 36 to leave spaces to join with the inlet and outlet tubes 34 and 44 respectively. The oil passes into the lower part of primary filter 36, upwardly 100 through the filtering medium 38 and thence out through tube 44 which leads to the lower portion of a similarly constructed secondary filter 46. This filter 46 has a filtering medium 48 therein which may be made up of fullers earth orsimilar 105 substance through which the flushing oil may pass as it travels upwardly through filter 46. This secondary filter should also have screens 50 and 52 therein to provide spaces at the ends of the filter 46.

These filters 36 and 46 are made removable in order that the same may be refilled with the filtering medium whenever it becomes necessary. The filters sit upon tracks 54 and may be pulled out of case 6 through door 56 by sliding the same along these tracks.

Oil passing through the apparatus from compartment 8 will be carried by gravity through the Various parts as fast as filtration is allowed to take place by the filtering mediums 38 and 48 contained in primary and secondary filters 36 and 46 respectively. In most instances.

it is desirable to control the speed of filtration, and it has been found an advantage to embody this control feature in the apparatus in the form of a valve 58 which is interposed in the take off line 60 leading from the top of secondary filter 46. This line 60 having the control valve 58 leads to reservoir 62 positioned along the bottom or case 6, and if desired an open portion may be provided through the use of a funnel 64 positioned as illustrated in Fig. 4. When the filtered oil has reached reservoir 62 it is at the end of its travel so far as action by gravity is concerned. It is from this reservoir 62 that the reclaimed and refined flushing oil is pumped by pump 16 up to delivery tank 66 formed at the top and within the case 6. A gauge 68 positioned beside transparent portion 22 of conduit 18 and adjacent window 24 allows the operator and the customer to view the oil which is in the delivery tank 66 at -the same time as the dirty oil is seen passing through section 22. This feature of the apparatus is exceptionally important and highly desirable. In the event pump 16 delivers too much oil to delivery'tank 66 the overflow stack '70 will carry the excess back to reservoir 62.

Flushing oil from delivery tank 66 is allowed to flow by gravity into thecrank case 10 of the engine 12 through the vertical pipe 72 which joins the hose '74 leading to a point remote from the apparatus. Thus the circuit of the oil through the apparatus is completed.

A novel hook-up for the double use of pump 16 is contemplated by this invention, the same being in the form of two interconnected valves which are simultaneously opened or closed as the case may be, by a lever '76.

Valve '78 is positioned adjacent the intake of pump 16 and may be placed in condition to allow pump 16 to draw oil from the crank case 10 through connection 14 or through pipe which enters reservoir 62. Likewise, valve 82 may be thrown to allow oil passing from pump 16 to enter either conduit 18 leading to compartment 8 or pipe 72 leading to delivery tank 66. A link 84 joins the operating levers 86 and 88 of valves 82 and 78 respectively and when lever 76 is thrown the connecting rod 90 will move operating lever 86 which in turn cause operating lever 88 to be moved through the intermediacy of link 84. Thus the desired condition of both valves 78 and 82 are maintained in the proper relation. In the instance shown in Fig. 4 the two valves in question are set to draw oil from reservoir 62 and deliver it to delivery tank 66.

Refinements of construction and details may be included in this apparatus and where necessary, vents 92 and 94 may be supplied to exhaust the system of air as oil is flowing into the same. The floor of the main compartment within case 6 may be inclined as at 96 and a drain hole 98 should be formed to allow the excess oil to pass int-o a dripping receptacle 100.

The operation of this crank case washer has been made clear through the specification and it is understood that many modifications may be made in practicing this invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a crank case washer, a case having an oil receiving compartment formed therein, a plurality of filters, a reservoir to receive the oil after filtration, a delivery tank and means including a pump connecting said compartment, reservoir, filters and tank, and having apparatus for selectively delivering oil from the reservoir of the washer to the delivery tank or from a crank case to the compartment.

2. In a crank case washer, a case having an oil receiving compartment formed therein, a plurality of filters, a reservoir to receive the oil after filtration, a delivery tank, a pump, pipe connections from said pump to crank case, compartment, reservoir, and tank and valves positioned in-said pipe lines whereby to selectively draw oil from the crankcase into the compartment or draw the oil previously filtered to the delivery tank.

' 3. In a crank case washer, a case having an oil receiving compartment formed therein, a filter, a reservoir to receive the oil after filtration, a delivery tank, and means including a propeller connecting said compartment, filter, reservoir, and tank, and having apparatus for selectively delivering oil from the crank case into said compartment or drawing oil previously filtered to the delivery tank. 4 

